USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. ========================================================================== From Baird's History of Clark County, Indiana (1909), p. 674-676: BIOGRAPHY OF JEFFERSON AND DAVID L. PRATHER "The family of this name has been identified with Clark county for more than a hundred years and borne a conspicuous part in its development. Devoted chiefly to farming, its members have found time for other activities and the county history will show them always ready to bear their full share of responsibilities in the civil, religious and political activities of their respective communities. Basil Prather, the founder of the family,came to the county about the beginning of the last century and was one of the sturdy old pioneers who left their impress upon this section of Southern Indiana during the formative period of the state. He was one of the founders of New Chapel Church, the second Methodist meeting house established in Indiana and the oldest existing religious society in the state. He left a son who became well known in after life as Judge Samuel Prather, in his time one of the county's most substantial citizens. He married a Miss [Edith Ann] Holman, by whom he had a son named Sion, the latter married Catherine, daughter of David Lutz, who came from North Carolina before the year 1800. His father, Henry Lutz, a native of Germany, found his way north to the then Indiana Territory and established a home in the wild woods of Clark county, subsequently known as Charlestown township. A fuller sketch of this early pioneer appears on another page of this volume. Sion and Catherine (Lutz) Prather were the parents of four children: Jefferson, David, Alvin and Tilford. Alvin joined the Union army in the Civil war and was killed at the battle of Stone River. Tilford reached maturity, married Indiana Bennett and died in 1907, leaving one child. "[Thomas] Jefferson Prather, the third in order of birth of these four children, was born on the paternal farm in Utica township, Clark county, Indiana, in 1840. In 1865 he married Annie, daughter of William and Mary (Hikes) Gibson, who came from Kentucky to Clark county in what the historians call an "early day". Mrs. Prather died in September 26, 1906, after becoming the mother of two sons, Rolla and Morris [actually "Maurice"]; Rolla moved to California some years ago and settled in Fresno county, where he has a family consisting of a wife and four children. Morris was married in the fall of 1908 to a Missouri lady and makes his home with his parents. Mr. Prather's farm consists of one hundred and eighteen acres, a part of the old homestead which fell to him after his father's death. David L. Prather, his [Thomas Jefferson Prather's] younger brother, was born in 1844, and remained on the home place until his marriage to Rebecca, daughter of John Glossbrenner, one of the early pioneers of Utica township, now a resident of Jeffersonville. By this union there were seven children. Jesse R. married Hattie Pass, and lives with his uncle Jefferson. Elmer, Durward and Herbert still remain with their parents. Royd Alvin died December 17, 1908. "Mr. [David] Prather was elected to the County Commission on the Democratic ticket in 1892, and made an excellent official during his term of service. At his father's death the north part of the old homestead, consisting of seventy-four acres, and the residence fell to his share and here he has since lived the simple and wholesome life that comes from agricultural pursuits. He and his brother Jefferson are members of the Cement Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Aside from its value as farmland, the old Prather homestead, now occupied by these worthy brothers, is of interest to archaeologists. The ground is thickly strewn with Indian arrowheads and other relics of the red men, skeletons having been found which are known to have belonged to the original occupants of this part of Indiana. Still earlier and more interesting relics are remains of the Mound builders, going back to pre-historic times. Three mounds, with indications of a fourth have been found on the Prather place. They are arranged in a semi-circle, connected by a strip of black earth overlying the natural soil. Two burial mounds yielded potsherds, stone- pipes, bone-needles, pestles, axes, a color cup and stone from which red color was made, spear and arrow heads in great variety, besides skeletons of this vanished race, lying on a quantity of charcoal. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Revolutionary War Number: 6907 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From "History of the Old Falls Cities and Their Counties", L. A. Williams & Co., Volume II, page 409 (1882): "Basil R. Prather, the father of the Prathers in the township, came here from North Carolina in 1801. His sons, Thomas, William, Walter, Basil R. Jr., Judge Samuel, Lloyd, John & Simon (Sion), were all married when they came here, except the last named. They settled throughout the township, and formed a class of men possessed of many admirable qualities." Lois M. Mauk